Concentrator



(No Model.) 3 Shee tsSheet 1. G. M. WHITNEY.

OONGBNTR-ATOR.

No. 582,408. Patented May 11, 1897.

(No Model.) I 3 SheetsSh eet 2.

G. M. WHITNEY. GONGENTRATOR.

No. 582,408. Patented m 11, 1897.

8 (No Model.) 3SheetsSheet3.

G. M WHITNEY. OONOBNTRATOR.

No. 582,408. Patented May 11, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT EETCE.

GEORGE M. \VHITNEY, OF LAVSON, COLORADO.

CONCENTRATOR.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 582,408, dated May11, 1897.

Application filed J 11118 2 2 1 8 9 6- T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. WHITNEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lawson, in the county of Clear Creek and State of Colorado,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Concentrators; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in ore-concentrators, the object ofthe same being to provide a device for concentrating the ores of theprecious metals in which no metal that lowers the value of theconcentrates is present. I p

A further object of the same is to provide a device for the purposewhich is cheap in construction, will concentrate the ores at a minimumcost, and is effective in operation, at the same time being providedwith means for automatically discharging the concentrated ore from thelower end of a shaking-pan.

The invention consists of a frame made up of uprights and cross-beamsconnecting said uprights, shafts mounted in bearings in the upper endsof said uprights, means for rotating said shafts, a concentrating-panhaving an opening and a discharge-spout leading outwardly from thecentral point thereof, connections between said shafts and said pan,whereby a rocking or shaking motion is imparted thereto, a sliding gateor cut-off in the lower end of said discharge-spout, an electromagnet,an armature therefor connected through intermediate mechanism with saidcut-off, a battery and circuit-wires leading from said battery to saidelectromagnet, a catch-basin, into which the sluice leads, havin g aseries of openings in the bottom thereof, an upright tube extendingthrough said basin and projecting slightly beyond the upper and lowerends, a vertically-reciprocable rod, passing through said tube, having aball upon its lower end, the specific gravity of said ball and rod beinggreater than the quartz and rock, but less than the mineral, a wireleading from the battery to the upper end of said rod, and a second wirewith which said rod is adapted to make contact upon its upward stroke.

The invention also consists in other details Serial No. 596,482. .(Nomodel.)

of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinaftermorefully described and claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 representsa front elevation of my improved concentrator. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig. 4 is a verticalcentral section through the same. Fig. 5 is a similar View at rightangles thereto. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan of the concentrating pan.

Like reference-numerals indicate like parts in the different views.

The framework of my device is made up of horizontal, longitudinal, andcross beams 1 2, uprights 3 4, rising therefrom, and longitudinal andcross beams 5 6, connecting said uprights near their upper ends.

Mounted in suitable bearings near the up per ends of the uprights 3 4and connecting the same in pairs are horizontal shafts 7 8, providedwith drums or pulleys 9 upon their outer ends, by means of which theymay be rotated from any suitable source of power. Connected toeccentric-straps 10 10 upon the shafts 7 S are connecting-rods 1111,which are attached to the upper side of a concentrating-pan 12, locatedbetween the uprights 3 4. This pan has aflaring rim 13 extending aroundthe outside thereof and increases in depth from the sides to the center.At its central point it has a discharge-opening 14, beneath whichextends atubular spout 15, with an inclined lower end 16 and providedwith an opening 17 in its longer side, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.Moving in suitable guideways adjacent to the opening 17 is a gate orcut-off 18, having arms 19 19 extending laterally therefrom.

Pivoted to the lower end of the spout are links 20, to the outer ends ofwhich are attached rods or bars 21, having slots or openings 22 therein,through which project the arms 19 on the gate 18. The rods 21 passaround the sides of the spout 15 and have connected to their rear endsan armature 23 of an electromagnet 24, located upon the under side ofthe pan 12 and connected through circuit-wires 25 and 26 with anelectric battery 27. On the under side of the pan 12, extending aroundthe outer edge or rim thereof, is a metallic ring 28, through whichbolts 29 pass, to which the connecting-rods 11 are attached. A similarring 30 of smaller diameter may be secured to the under side of the pan12 adjacent to the discharge-opening 14 therein, and the two rings 28and 30 may be connected by radially-extendin g bars or strips 31, asclearly shown.

Secured to suitable supporting-beams 32 32, connecting the longitudinalbeams 5 5, is a catch-basin 33, into which the sluice leads, the saidbasin having a series of perforations or openings 34 3a in its bottom.Located centrally of the basin and extending slightly above and belowthe upper and lower ends, respectively, of said basin is a tube 35, inwhich fits a vertically-reciprocable metallic rod 36, whose downwardmovement is limited bya pin 37, projecting laterally therefrom andengaging the upper end of the tube 35. Upon the lower end of the rod 36is attached a ball 38, resting just above the discharge-opening 14 inthe concentrating-pan 12, the said rod and ball being constructed ofsuch metal or alloy that its specific gravity will be slightly greaterthan that of the rock or quartz, but less than the mineral containedtherein. The exact specific gravity desired maybe obtained by formingthe ball 38 110110 originally and filling the opening therein to agreater or less extent with a metal or alloy having a specific gravityless than the rock or quartz.

To the upper end of the rod 36 is permanently connected a circuit-wire39, leading from the battery 27, and the said rod is also adapted tomake contact with a wire 40 when it rises to the limit of its upwardmovement, thereby closing the circuit through the battery 27, wires 39and 40, and wires 25 and 26, leading to the electromagnet 24, the saidwires 25, 26, 39, arid 40 being connected in series with the difierentcells of which the battery 27 is made up.

The operation of my device is as follows: The rock and quartz containingthe precious metals is fed from the sluice into the catchbasin 33 andpasses through the openings 34 in the bottom thereof to theconcentratingpan 12. Power being then applied to the shafts 7 8transmits a rocking or shaking motion to said concentrating-pan andcauses the heavier particles of the metal to sink or be precipitated tothe bottom of said pan. During this operation the gate or cut-off 18lies across the opening 17 at the lower end of the discharge-pipe 15 andholds the crushed ore in the pan 12. As the material is separated intodiiterent strata the ball 38 upon the lower end of the rod 36 sinks downthrough the rock or quartz and rests upon the layer of mineral at thebottom of the pan. As the stratum of mineral rises, however, it carrieswith it the ball 38 and raises the rod 36, so that contact is madebetween the upper end of said rod with the circuit-wire 40, closing theelectric circuit through the battery 27, wires 39, 40, and 26, throughthe electromagnet 24 and wire 25, back to the battery. This enegizes theelectromagnet 24 and the armature 23 thereof is attracted to it. Whensaid armature rises, it elevates the rods or bars 21, attached to thelinks 20, and by reason of the engagement of the arms 19 with the edgesof the slots 22 elevates the gate or cut-off l8 and releases theconcentrates through the opening 17 in the spout 15. As the concentratesflow out of the pan 12 the rod 36 and ball 38 drop by gravity, therebybreaking the circuit which was closed between the upper end of said rodand the circuit-wire 40, deeuergizes the magnet 24, and permits the gateor eut-ofi 18 to fall, closing the opening 17 and preventing a furtherdischarge of the material contained in the concentrating-pan untiladditional concentrates have been formed.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an ore-concentrator, the combination with a concentrating-pan andmeans for shaking the same, of a discharge-spout on the under side ofsaid pan, having an opening therein, a gate mounted in suitable guidesfor regulating said opening, an electromagnet, an

armature therefor connected through intermediate meehanism with saidgate, an electric battery, a normally open circuit between said batteryand said magnet and means, actuing the same, of a discharge-spoutleading therefrom and having an opening thereln, a

slidingly-mounted gate for regulating said opening, arms on said gate,links pivoted to the lower end of said spout, an electromagnet locatedupon the under side of said pan, an armature therefor, rods or barsconnecting said armature with said links and provided with slots oropenings therein through which project the arms on said gate, anelectric battery, a normally open circuit between said battery and saidmagnet and means, actuated by the rise of the concentrates in said pan,for closing the circuit through said battery, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

3, In an ore-concentrator, the combination with a concentrating-pan andmeans for shaking the same, of a discharge-spout leading therefromhaving an opening near its lower end, a gate for regulating saidopening, an electromagnet and intermediate connections between saidmagnet and said gate, anclectric battery, a normally open circuitbetween said battery and said magnet, a Verticallyreciprocable rodhaving a ball or bulb upon its lower end which lies within the crushedmaterial in said concentratingqaan, whose specific gravity is greaterthan the rock or quartz but less than the mineral contained therein, awire leading from said battery to said rod and a wire with which saidrod is adapted to make contact when the same is elevated to the limit ofits upward stroke, whereby a circuit is closed through saidelectromagnet, the gate controlling the opening in said spout is openedand the concentrates contained in said pan are discharged, substantiallyas described.

4. In anore-concentrator, the combination with a concentrating-pan andmeans for shaking the same, of a discharge-spout leading therefrom,having an opening near its lower end, a gate for controlling saidopening, an electromagnet, and intermediate connections between saidmagnet and said gate, an electric battery, a normally open circuitbetween said battery and said magnet, a catch-basin permanently securedabove said concentrating-pan, having a series of openings in the bottomthereof, a tube extend ing through said basin, a vertically-reciprocablerod fitting within said tube, having a ball or bulb upon its lower endWhose combined specific gravity purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE M. WHITNEY.

lVitnesses:

W. L. STEVENS, W. H. MAXToN.

